Aspirin Safety Tips

Learn to take aspirin for your heart safely

Doctors have yet to reach a verdict on whether some OTC painkillers are safe to take with daily low-dose aspirin. The main concern: The pills may interfere with aspirin's anticlotting effects, negating heart-health benefits. A 21,000-patient trial run by Steven Nissen, MD, chair of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, aims to find a definitive answer by 2010. In the meantime, if you're a low-dose aspirin user, here's how you can safely get the pain relief you need:

For arthritis or migraines: If you must also take an anti-inflammatory drug like ibuprofen (such as Motrin or Advil) or naproxen (e.g., Aleve), take the aspirin an hour before any of these pills to avoid interactions, advises Nissen.

For aches and fever: Choose acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol), he says--it's been shown to be safe and effective when taken with aspirin, even if taken together.

Advertising helps us deliver the articles you love at no charge to you

Are you sure you want to log out?

If you are the only person using this device,
there’s no need to log out. Just exit this page
and you won’t have to sign in again. But if
you’re on a public or shared computer, log out
to keep your account secure.